


Tikki, Why Don't I Have Pockets?

by AranelPilin



Series: Pockets, Bells, Zippers, and Poems [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Bittersweet, Chat Noir Needs A Hug, Chat Noir's pockets, Chat Noir's zipper, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-10 23:08:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16464107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AranelPilin/pseuds/AranelPilin
Summary: Marinette notices something about Chat Noir's suit and decides to ask her Kwami about it. The answer wasn't what she expected at all!





	Tikki, Why Don't I Have Pockets?

**Author's Note:**

> This is bittersweet; you've been warned!

* * *

"Tikki?" Marinette looked up from her sewing machine thoughtfully.

"Yes, Marinette," the little Kwami, who had previously been eyeing her personal cookie stash, floated over to her chosen.

"Why does Chat get to have pockets in his suit and I don't?" She asked glancing down at the pocket she had been sewing into her latest design project.

"Weeeelllll," Tikki answered looking thoughtful, "to a point, the suits are influenced by your expectations. Since you weren't really expecting anything the first time you transformed, you ended up with the bare minimum for Ladybug."

"So, Chat expected his suit to have multiple pockets and a bell zipper pull?" Marinette asked, amused at the thought of her silly kitty's fashion priorities.

Tikki cringed a bit, startling Marinette who turned her full attention back to the obviously uncomfortable Kwami.

"Not, exactly," Tikki finally responded. "The pockets are standard for Chat Noirs who will be going up against a corrupted butterfly miraculous. Because Ladybug is the only one who can purify an Akuma, Chat Noir needs to have a way to contain one in the event Ladybug is not present for some reason. Akumas can phase through pretty much anything; and, if left uncontained, they will multiply like what happened with Stoneheart. Chat's suit is one of the very few things that can contain an Akuma indefinitely."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense! I wonder if he knows that's what they're for?" Marinette mused out loud before remembering the other items she had questioned. "But what about his bell and zipper?"

Tikki made a face and, for a moment, Marinette got the distinct impression that Tikki had been hoping she had forgotten about the rest of her question.

"Those…" Tikki trailed off for a moment before continuing without looking at her chosen, "The zipper is something Plagg learned to add in as a standard part of his kittens' suits a long time ago. Chat Noirs carry close combat weapons, channel misfortune/destruction, and are Ladybug's sword and shield. If one of you is going to get hurt, it is most likely going to be Chat Noir.

"Ladybug's _Miraculous Cure_  can fix anything caused by magic, but most past Ladybugs and Chat Noirs weren't fighting magical enemies. Plagg added the zipper so that his kittens could receive medical attention without having to reveal their identity."

Marinette's eyes widened in horror.

"As for the bell…" Tikki continued her subdued explanation without looking directly at her chosen. "I haven't seen the bell or anything similar in a very long time and it's never a good sign for whoever's beneath the mask. The bell is a mark of ownership. It means that deep down, Chat Noir is looking for a place to belong—someone to belong to. Whenever a mark of ownership has shown up on a Chat Noir in the past, it meant that the person beneath was being neglected, abused, or had been abandoned."

Marinette gasped, "But it doesn't necessarily  _have_ to mean that, right? It _could_ just be another one of his cat puns, right? I mean Chat is so happy all the time and so silly and—he can't be— _that!_ Can he?"

Tikki looked into the pleading eyes of her chosen, and desperately wished she could tell her that her partner's life was as filled with love and joy as Marinette's own. But Tikki had never lied to her chosen before—withheld information Marinettte wasn't ready for certainly, but she'd never outright lied to her—and she wasn't about to start now.

"I'm sorry, Marinette, but I've never seen it mean anything else."

Marinette turned toward the poster of Ladybug and Chat Noir that Alya had put on her wall and stared at the grinning face of her partner as tears began to slide down her cheeks.

"But how can he be so happy, Tikki? How can he laugh, and joke, and tease, and spout ridiculous puns? How can my silly kitty be hurting like that?"

"Oh, Marinette!" Tikki hugged her chosen's cheek before wiping at her tears, "He's happy when he's with you _because_ he has _you_. You give him a purpose, companionship, and someone to love and protect. That's worth more to him than you will probably ever know."

"But what should I  _do,_ Tikki! I can't just sit around and do nothing—living my life with my family and friends while Chat—" Marinette couldn't bring herself to finish the thought.

"Marinette, as much as you want to do something for Chat, there really isn't anything you can do for him without compromising his identity. He's safe for now, Plagg will make sure of that! Just be his friend and be there for him. When he needs you, he'll come to you."

"But—" Marinette began before Tikki cut her off.

"For him, Chat Noir is his escape and being with you is his safe haven. You're already helping just by being there for him."  
  
Marinette smiled wetly at her Kwami, it wasn't ok, but as she dried her eyes, Marinette promised herself that from now on she would always be there for Chat whenever he needed her. And maybe one day, after Hawkmoth was defeated, she could be there for whoever her partner was under the mask too.

 

 

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+— BONUS SCENE —+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

 

 

Chat Noir stood waiting for Ladybug on the rooftop where they were going to start that night's patrol. Content with the moment of peace after the stress of his overscheduled day, Chat just breathed in the fresh air and watched the setting sun paint its colors across the Parisian skyline. Ears twitching at the telltale sound of Ladybug's yo-yo, Chat turned to greet his Lady with a grin and one of his (obligatory at this point) quips.

"Good evening, M'Lad—oofff"

Chat's jaw dropped, and he blinked in surprise as Ladybug swept him into a bone-crushing hug. Before he could recover, she pulled away and shoved a croissant into his open mouth.

" _Tag!_ You're it, Chaton!" She called before she swung away toward the Eiffel Tower, leaving a confused kitty in her wake.

For a moment, Chat just stared after her—the croissant still hanging from his mouth—before he hastily finished the treat and bounded after her.

When he finally caught up with her, Ladybug felt her heart warm with pride at the giant grin plastered across his face. Tikki was right. She might not be able to change Chat Noir's civilian life, but she would do everything in her power to return that smile to his face as often as she possibly could.

 

 

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+— BONUS 2 —+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

 

 

"Ladybug, since when do you have pockets?"

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, I know it's short.


End file.
